Sputnik News Service Friday 6:45 PM UTC US Must Counter Russia's 'Malign' Activity in Armenia - Senator Menendez WASHINGTON, June 29 (Sputnik) – The United States should resist Russia’s activities in Armenia, US Senator Robert Menendez said on Friday. “The Kremlin has made no secret of its agenda to undermine democracies across the world, and we must work together to counter such malign Russian influence in Armenia,” Menendez said in a statement after meeting with Armenian President Armen Sarkissian. Menendez acknowledged the multiple challenges Yerevan faces. In particular, he condemned the “Turkish aggression from the Eastern Mediterranean to northern Syria” as "unacceptable." The senator also called for an end to Azerbaijan's "bellicose behavior" in Nagorno-Karabakh. He praised the peaceful protests in Armenia in recent months, calling the demonstrations “a powerful and inspiring example of citizens making their voices heard.” Armenia experienced a political crisis after ex-President Serzh Sargsyan was nominated as country’s prime minister. The situation led to massive protests led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which finally resulted in Sargsyan's resignation on April 23, followed by Pashinyan's election as the Armenian prime minister on May 8. Following Pashinyan’s election, the formerly ruling Republican Party of Armenia, which still has the majority of seats in the parliament, declared itself an opposition party.